Seatback, flexible panel for seatback and method

ABSTRACT

A new easy-assemble seatback includes a seatback frame adapted to be connected to a seat. The seat back frame has a pair of opposite sides. The frame supports at least one flexible panel from a top panel connection so the panel hangs and rotates freely from the connection on the frame. The panel is formed from a flexible material which may include wood, metal, metal alloy or plastic. Panel-to-frame assembly is done by hand. The frame includes a stop member connected to the frame that impedes free rotation of the flexible panel. Since the panel covers most all of the load bearing seatback area, fewer heavyweight metal supportive elements are necessary. The new seatback is longer lasting, lighter in weight and deployable as a result.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 62/213,758, filed Sep. 3, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of furniture pieces and, more particularly, to an improved seatback, a flexible panel for a seatback and a method of making a seatback.

Description of Related Art

Seating apparatus often include a seat with an upstanding seatback connected to the seat to provide added comfort. Seatbacks typically comprise a frame with vertical and/or horizontal supports. The structural elements are typically rigid and many are formed from steel. This means prior seatbacks can be heavy and uncomfortable. Foam and other materials that might add comfort add to product cost. Additionally, seats for vehicular and watercraft applications, for example, where weight influences design features, are labor intensive because most seatbacks have to be welded together or assembled to produce a sturdy regulatory compliant piece.

Besides slow manufacturing and assembly, current seatback structures tend to be heavy and non-deployable. Their elasticity also degrades through repeated stresses and load bearing. Some metal seatback frames rust and eventually break down as well. This is especially the case in marine and vehicular applications.

Thus, an improved seatback, a flexible panel for a seatback that is durable with load bearing versatility and a method of making such an improved seatback are highly desirable. Such a seatback design should have fewer metal parts for easy rapid manufacture, be lightweight and deployable, rigid with dynamic reinforcement, and possess longer useful life.

The invention provides a new seatback design with parts that may be assembled by hand. Besides taking less time to manufacture, the new seatback is lighter and more deployable because of its unique combination of structural and material elements. One embodiment of the seatback includes a seatback frame adapted to be connected to a seat. The seatback frame has a pair of opposite sides. A panel support extends between and connects at opposite ends, respectively, to the sides of the frame. At least one flexible panel with a fastener portion is provided for connecting the flexible panel to the panel support. And a stop member is connected to the frame for impeding movement of the flexible panel relative to the seatback frame.

In another embodiment of the invention, there is a method of making a seatback, which includes the steps of: (i) providing a rigid seatback frame with a panel support. The seatback frame is adapted to be connected to a seat; (ii) providing at least one flexible panel with a top fastener portion; (iii) connecting the fastener portion of the panel by hand to the panel support so the flexible panel may rotate freely from the support; and (iv) connecting a stop member to the frame to impede the rotation of the panel on the panel support.

The flexible panel is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, metal alloy or plastic.

In some embodiments, the panel is formed from a thermoplastic composite material.

In one embodiment, the panel has a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm² and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi.

In some embodiments, the panel has an arcuate shape along its length.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved seatback. It is another object of the invention to provide a flexible panel for a seatback that is durable with load bearing versatility and a method of making such an improved seatback.

Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a furniture piece showing an embodiment of the seatback of the invention connected to a seat.

FIG. 2 is a front side perspective view of an embodiment of the seatback of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a back side perspective view of an embodiment of the seatback of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a back side perspective view of an embodiment of the flexible panel of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, specific embodiments have been described. It should nevertheless be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive in character, and that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described components, elements, processes, or devices, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein, are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Generally, the seatback 10 has a seatback frame 20 adapted to be connected to a seat 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The seat of FIG. 1 is provided to illustrate the advantages of Applicant's new seatback and panel structures. Skilled artisans should recognize that many different seat frames and seats can incorporate Applicant's new seatback design. The embodiment in the figures, therefore, should not be construed as limiting the useful applications of the invention. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the exemplary embodiment of the seat back frame has a pair of opposite sides 22, 24. A panel support 30 with opposite ends 32, 34 extends between and is connected to the sides 22, 24 of the frame. In some embodiments, the panel support is integrated into the frame, and the panel support is part of the frame.

Preferably, the seatback frame 20 is formed from tube steel, and a steel panel support 30 and stop member 40 are welded to the sides of the frame 20. Other rigid materials, including metals and alloys suitable for the application disclosed at the time of this writing and which are readily available to skilled artisans my be utilized to make the seatback frame 20, panel support 30 and stop member 40. In some embodiments, the stop member is integrated into the frame. In other embodiments, the stop member 40 does not extend the full distance between the sides 22, 24 of the frame 20.

With reference to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the novel flexible panel 60 has an elongate body 62, a top 64 and a bottom 66. In some embodiments, the body 62 has an arcuate shape along its length. The top 64 has a fastener, preferably a hinge connector 65 for connecting flexible panel 60 to the panel support 30 so that the flexile panel may rotate freely on the panel support. In this description hinge connector means ay loose fitting connection that enables the panel to swing freely from the panel support in a single-plane axis. Other known fasteners, however, such as snap-fit, latching, mating-type or the like, may be used to join the panel 60 with the seatback frame 20 so long as the panel(s) can freely rotate on the panel support 30. In the embodiment shown, two panels 60 are installed on the seatback frame 20 (FIGS. 1-2). In some embodiments, a single panel is employed. In other embodiments, a plurality of panels 60 are used.

In some embodiments, the bottom 66 of the panel has a sloped portion 67, which rests against a stop member 40 connected to and extending between the sides 22, 24 of the frame 20. The panel 60 thus provides a slightly outwardly protruding flexible load bearing front side 80 for the seatback. Panel 60 is therefore rigid with dynamic reinforcement.

In one embodiment, the flexible panel 60 includes a front side or upper mold piece 80, a back side or lower mold piece 90, and a central reinforcing axial rib 92 formed on or in the back side 90. The flexible panel may be formed from stress treated wood, metal, such as rolled steel or the like, metal alloy or other material of a suitable thickness/gauge to yield the desired flexible properties. Applications employing wood include wood additives to increase life and flexibility of the wood. In some embodiments, the flexible panel 60 is formed from one of numerous known thermoplastic polymeric materials and methods. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), shape memory polymer composites and high strain composites are examples.

In the preferred embodiments, the panel 60 is molded from a commercially produced glass-filled Polypropylene copolymer composite material having a silica/ash content of between about 19-24 percent, a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm² using Active Standard ASTM D638 and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi using test standard D790.

Since the panel(s) 60 of the invention covers most all of the load bearing seatback area, fewer metal supportive and fastening elements are necessary. And the improved seatback 10 is longer lasting, lighter in weight and more deployable as a result. Because during manufacture of the seatback flexible panel(s) 60 may be placed onto the panel support by hand, e.g., snap-fit, mating, and latching, the inventor has achieved especially rapid manufacturing times for the subject seats. No welding is required.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, specific embodiments have been described. It should nevertheless be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive in character, and that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described components, elements, processes, or devices, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein, are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 

1. A seatback comprising: a seatback frame adapted to be connected to a seat, the seat back frame having a panel support; at least one flexible panel with a fastener portion adapted for connecting the flexible panel to the panel support of the frame by hand so that the flexible panel is thus freely rotatable from said support; and a stop member connected to the frame for impeding movement of the flexible panel relative to the seatback frame.
 2. The seatback of claim 1, in which the flexible panel is formed from a thermoplastic composite material.
 3. The seatback of claim 1, in which the flexible panel is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, metal alloy and plastic.
 4. The seatback of claim 1, in which the fastener portion of the flexible panel is a hinge connector.
 5. The seatback of claim 2, in which the flexible panel has a front side, a back side, and a central reinforcing axial rib formed on the back side.
 6. The seatback of claim 2, in which the fastener portion of the flexible panel is a hinge connector.
 7. The seatback of claim 2, in which the flexible panel has a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm² and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi.
 8. The seatback of claim 6, in which the flexible panel has a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm² and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi.
 9. A method of making a seatback comprising the steps of: providing a rigid seatback frame having a panel support, said seatback frame being adapted to be connected to a seat; providing at least one flexible panel with a top fastener portion, and connecting the fastener portion of the panel by hand to the panel support so the flexible panel may rotate freely from said support; and connecting a stop member to the frame to impede the rotation of the panel on the panel support.
 10. A method according to claim 9, in which the flexible panel is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, metal alloy or plastic.
 11. A method according to claim 9, in which the flexible panel is formed from a thermoplastic polymeric material.
 12. The method of claim 11, in which the flexible panel has a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm² and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi.
 13. A flexible panel for providing support to a seatback, a seatback includes a frame with a panel support, the panel comprising, an elongate body with a top and a bottom, a fastener portion formed in the top adapted for operatively connecting the panel by hand to the panel support so the flexible panel may rotate freely from said support.
 14. The seatback of claim 13, in which the flexible panel is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, metal alloy and plastic.
 15. The flexible panel of claim 13, in which the panel is formed from a thermoplastic composite material.
 16. The flexible panel of claim 14, in which the panel is arcuate shaped.
 17. The flexible panel of claim 14, in which the fastener portion of the flexible panel is a hinge connector.
 18. The flexible panel of claim 15, in which the bottom of the panel includes a sloped portion for contacting a stop member connected to the seatback frame.
 19. The flexible panel of claim 15, in which the fastener portion of the flexible panel is a hinge connector.
 20. The flexible panel of claim 19, in which the panel has a tensile strength between about 37 and 38 N/mm² and a flex modulus of about 600 ksi. 